Meetings

NDM8479 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Regrets that despite Wales needing at least 12,000 new homes every year, over the last decade the Welsh Government has barely built half that number.

2. Recognises figures released from the Office for National Statistics in 2023 that there are 103,000 truly vacant unoccupied dwellings in Wales.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) establish a dedicated taskforce of planners to tackle the backlog in the slowest performing councils, and create a planning apprentice for every council;

b) support small developers in Wales to build homes on land owned by the Welsh Government and local councils, with a focus on meeting local housing needs; and

c) turn Wales’s empty properties back into homes.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that almost 90,000 households are on social housing waiting lists at present; and

b) that 11,273 individuals were in temporary accommodation, of which 3,403 were dependent children aged under 16 in October 2023.

2. Regrets:

a) that the Welsh Government has only delivered 5,775 units since 2021, despite the target to deliver 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent within the social sector during this government term; and

b) that over 139,000 social homes on rent had been lost to the open market, by the time the Right to Buy was abolished in Wales in 2019, contributing greatly to the current housing crisis.

3. Believes:

a) the solution to Wales’s housing crisis lies in increasing the supply of affordable homes for medium- and low-income households, for rent and for purchase; and

b) that securing a much higher rate of homes in public and community ownership will also positively influence affordability in the wider housing market.

4. Welcomes:

a) the Co-operation Agreement commitment to publish a White Paper setting out proposals to establish a system of fair rents and new approaches to make homes more affordable; and

b) radical reform for the future set out in the White Paper on Ending Homelessness developed as part of the Co-operation Agreement.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to rapidly accelerate the construction of social housing in order to meet or exceed the target to deliver 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent within the social sector.

If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected.

Amendment 2 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Acknowledges the challenges being faced by the housing sector, which are impacting housing supply across the United Kingdom.

2.Welcomes the action and investment being made in housing by the Welsh Government.

3. Notes the Welsh Government’s ambitious commitment to deliver 20,000 low carbon, social homes during this term of Government.

4. Notes the Welsh Government’s commitment to Unnos, together with Plaid Cymru, to support our councils and social landlords to improve the supply of social and affordable housing, including bringing more empty homes back into use.

The item started at 16.29

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8479 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Regrets that despite Wales needing at least 12,000 new homes every year, over the last decade the Welsh Government has barely built half that number.

2. Recognises figures released from the Office for National Statistics in 2023 that there are 103,000 truly vacant unoccupied dwellings in Wales.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) establish a dedicated taskforce of planners to tackle the backlog in the slowest performing councils, and create a planning apprentice for every council;

b) support small developers in Wales to build homes on land owned by the Welsh Government and local councils, with a focus on meeting local housing needs; and

c) turn Wales’s empty properties back into homes.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
14	0	37	51

The motion without amendment not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that almost 90,000 households are on social housing waiting lists at present; and

b) that 11,273 individuals were in temporary accommodation, of which 3,403 were dependent children aged under 16 in October 2023.

2. Regrets:

a) that the Welsh Government has only delivered 5,775 units since 2021, despite the target to deliver 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent within the social sector during this government term; and

b) that over 139,000 social homes on rent had been lost to the open market, by the time the Right to Buy was abolished in Wales in 2019, contributing greatly to the current housing crisis.

3. Believes:

a) the solution to Wales’s housing crisis lies in increasing the supply of affordable homes for medium- and low-income households, for rent and for purchase; and

b) that securing a much higher rate of homes in public and community ownership will also positively influence affordability in the wider housing market.

4. Welcomes:

a) the Co-operation Agreement commitment to publish a White Paper setting out proposals to establish a system of fair rents and new approaches to make homes more affordable; and

b) radical reform for the future set out in the White Paper on Ending Homelessness developed as part of the Co-operation Agreement.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to rapidly accelerate the construction of social housing in order to meet or exceed the target to deliver 20,000 new low carbon homes for rent within the social sector.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
12	0	40	52

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Acknowledges the challenges being faced by the housing sector, which are impacting housing supply across the United Kingdom.

2.Welcomes the action and investment being made in housing by the Welsh Government.

3. Notes the Welsh Government’s ambitious commitment to deliver 20,000 low carbon, social homes during this term of Government.

4. Notes the Welsh Government’s commitment to Unnos, together with Plaid Cymru, to support our councils and social landlords to improve the supply of social and affordable housing, including bringing more empty homes back into use.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	15	52

Amendment 2 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM8479 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Acknowledges the challenges being faced by the housing sector, which are impacting housing supply across the United Kingdom.

2.Welcomes the action and investment being made in housing by the Welsh Government.

3. Notes the Welsh Government’s ambitious commitment to deliver 20,000 low carbon, social homes during this term of Government.

4. Notes the Welsh Government’s commitment to Unnos, together with Plaid Cymru, to support our councils and social landlords to improve the supply of social and affordable housing, including bringing more empty homes back into use.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	15	52

The motion as amended was agreed.